


School Spirit

by Titch360



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-12-02 08:36:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11505675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titch360/pseuds/Titch360
Summary: The best way to end a stalemate is through give and take.  Some will be taken and some will be given when a school fundraiser brings family issues to the surface.





	School Spirit

School Spirit

 

A fancy, yet packed, sedan weaved its way out of the foothills surrounding Gotham City, heading towards the northern neighborhoods of the city.  The sedate pace of the vehicle belied the tension found on the inside of the car.

A series of barely verbal grumbles and sighs had been coming from the back seat since before the car left the grounds of Stately Wayne Manor, and, after twenty minutes of hearing it, Bruce was getting tired of it.

"Can you move," Damian growled, elbowing Jason from the middle seat.

Jason elbowed the youngster back, eliciting a yelp from Damian and a hidden smile from Bruce.  "I'm up against the door here, Squirt.  I can't move."

Bruce rolled his eyes and growled, "We're almost there, Damian.  You can last for another few minutes."

Damian grumbled again, "Why didn't you take a bigger car, Father?"

"Damian," Bruce growled dangerously.

The boy's eyes flashed, "All I'm saying is, you have bigger cars.  If you took one of them, I wouldn't have to be sitting on this stupid seat hump.  The Range Rover has a third row, why couldn't we have taken that?"

"Because we took this," Bruce snapped.  "If you haven't noticed, you're the only one complaining."

"Because I'm the only one who had to be shoehorned into my seat," Damian said, almost under his breath.

The car was tensely quiet for several minutes, until Damian sighed again and said, "I don't see why we're even going to this thing."

It took all the calming techniques Bruce knew to keep from slamming on the brakes and turning a full Batglare on Damian.  "This is a fundraiser for _your_ school, Damian.  The Warrington School and the Wayne family have a long, entwined history, and you can show some interest in something other than your own issues for once."

Damian grimaced, but wisely kept his mouth shut.  It had escaped no one's attention that Damian's attitude had been growing progressively worse over the last month.  A conversation with Bruce one evening had ended with angry shouting, slamming doors, and tension so thick that a chainsaw would be required to cut it.  The older boys had been too nervous to ask what had caused the blow-up.  They didn't want to get caught in the middle of a truly epic confrontation.

Tempers had cooled somewhat in the following month, but they left a feeling of resentment floating through the house.  Bruce and Damian were able to be in the same room as each other now, but it had taken a solid week before they could even look at each other without growling.  Tonight was actually the longest time they had spent in a confined space together, without the threat of bloodshed.

The car worked its way into the parking lot of the Warrington School before another comment could be made.  Finally having an excuse to break the tension, the elder Robins all reached for their respective door handles.  Only Tim was able to get his door open before Bruce spoke softly.

"Close that door, Tim."

Nervously, Tim did as he was told.  Bruce stared at the back seat through the rearview mirror.  "I want all of you to treat tonight like any other charity event or society party.  Smile for the cameras, look like you're enjoying yourselves, and most of all, no more arguing.  There will be a lot of society press here tonight.  They would just love to get some sort of photo that they can use against us."

"Why are there going to be so many cameramen at a school fundraiser," Tim asked, unable to stop his curiosity.

"Because we are all going to have to walk into the building together, and these will be the first ever press photos of all five of us together at the same time."

Dick's face swiveled to stare at Bruce, "Are you serious?  We don't have _any_ press clippings of all of us together?"

Bruce shook his head, "No, which is why there will be extra scrutiny on all of us tonight.  Alfred will be very disappointed if he can't cut our pictures out of the paper for his scrapbook tomorrow, because we don't look like we're happy to be together."

Although no heads moved, all eyes turned to Damian.  A dramatic eye roll was followed by a deep sigh.  "Tt, whatever."

Bruce finally turned in his seat and pierced the boy with a glare.  "I'm not kidding, Damian.  You will put on the act of your life tonight, or else."

The boy's mouth opened slightly, and it took a monumental effort for Damian not to let loose the ' _or else what'_ that flew to the end of his tongue.  The three gasps that followed the opening of Damian's mouth were not appreciated, but they did give him a second to control himself.  Instead, an icy tone replied, "Very well, Father."

Bruce held Damian's gaze for another few tense seconds before giving a short nod.  "Okay.  Let's go.  Remember, we're here to support the school that has seen hundreds of years of Wayne's graduate.  We are four alumni and a current student.  Now, smile.  Here come the cameras."

Flashbulbs lit up the night as the five Wayne men stepped from the car.  Several nervous glances at the youngest were met with a practiced small smile that only his family knew was fake.  They didn't even make it halfway to the front steps of the school before they had to stop at the mass of humanity that made up the paparazzi at this evening's event.

Calls to look every which way sent the Bat boy's heads flying in all different directions, to the point where the cameramen were getting frustrated at themselves.  Not one photographer was able to get a shot of all of their targets looking in the same direction until Bruce had had enough of playing nice for the photogs, and started to push his way towards the building.

Dick was heaving a sigh of relief, that they had made it through the cameramen relatively unscathed, when a voice called out, asking for one last picture.

"Bruce!  Bruce!  Just one more!  How about just you and your youngest?  The oldest graduate and the current student."

Tim's eyes were wide as they met Dick's.  They both thought that would be asking too much, with the current climate between father and son.  Dick could tell that Bruce was thinking the same thing as he glanced over at Damian.  He was surprised, however, when Damian left his staunchly-held post on the far side of Jason to approach Bruce.

The paparazzi couldn't tell that all three of Bruce's eldest sons were holding their breath as Damian stood in front of Bruce, and gave a practiced smile to the photographers.  They were equally as surprised when Bruce's hands came to rest gently on Damian's shoulders, instead of going for his throat.

Father and son stood for just short of a minute, posing for the cameras.  Only Bruce could tell that something had changed.  The tension seemed to slowly bleed from Damian's shoulders under his gentle grip, and they wouldn't know it until the following day, but Damian's smile grew a warmth that it had lacked for the last month during this short photo session.

The family walked away after pleasing the cameramen, and as Damian slowly drifted away from Bruce, he muttered to his father, none to gently, "I hope you're happy."

By the time they entered the building, the Iron Curtain had descended once again between father and son.

Bruce walked up to a greeting table, just inside the entrance to the school gym, and pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket.  He handed the donation check to the organizers of the event before turning to face the evening.

The space hardly looked like a school gymnasium tonight.  The event planning team had added diffuse lighting and hanging silks to create a softer, more refined atmosphere than the utilitarian space would normally hold.  The school orchestra was arranged in a corner, doing their best not to mangle the soft classical music they had been rehearsing for months.  Food tables held choices that were far removed from the daily meals served in the cafeteria.  Tables and chairs were set up around the room, with many of them occupied by fellow donors.

Bruce was checking out the room, mentally calculating how long he had to stay at this event before he could work out a tactful retreat.  While he didn't agree with his attitude, Bruce agreed with Damian's thought about the evening.  He really would have been happier at home.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bruce saw Damian gravitating away from the family.  Dick and Tim followed and stopped the youth just a few steps away, still close enough for Bruce to hear their quiet conversation.

"So, now what?  What are we supposed to do here?  Father already handed over his check.  He could have mailed that in, and we wouldn't have had to come here and waste an entire evening."

Dick's sigh was very audible.  "Just like Bruce said, we treat this like a society party.  Talk to some people.  Make conversation.  Maybe you can try to get the chip off of your shoulder and relax a bit.  Come on, you can talk to us.  What happened between you and Bruce?"

Damian glanced over Tim's shoulder to see his father.  No matter how practiced Bruce was at eavesdropping, he couldn't fool his son into believing he wasn't hearing every word that was said.  "You mean, he didn't tell you?  I thought he told you everything, Grayson?"

Tim shook his head and spoke softly, "We've been too nervous to ask.  This...thing...between the two of you is different than your normal arguments.  What happened?"

Dick reached out to place a hand on Damian's shoulder.  The youngest flinched back just enough that Dick would have had to flail at him to touch him.  Damian knew Dick wouldn't do that at an event like this.  Dick's natural smile dimmed a bit as his hand dropped back to his side, "Tell us, Damian.  This needs to stop.  You two were doing so well.  It's throwing off the whole house, this spat between the two of you.  Not talking about it will only make it worse.  You can't stay silent forever."

Dick's words hit a nerve, "Well, excuse me for disrupting your perfect life in your perfect household with something that _actually_ matters."

Dick's eyes narrowed, "It's not _my_ house that you're disrupting.  You really have no idea how much your argument with Bruce is hurting Alfred, do you?  If you don't want to tell us what's going on, then fine, but don't take it out on Alfred.  He's invested a lot of time and energy into your and Bruce's relationship.  The inability of the both of you to get past this is like a slap in his face."

Damian looked away from Dick's eyes.  _Why did he have to bring that up,_ Damian thought.  _I know this is hurting him, even if I don't mean to._   The truth of the matter was, he wanted to talk about what was going on.  Damian hated the situation he had caused more than anything, but he was raised with a prideful streak a mile wide, and no matter how much he had changed over the years, he couldn't bring himself to admit that his reaction had been wrong.

The silence carried on longer than Dick was ready to wait.  He rolled his eyes in frustration, "Whatever, Damian.  Figure yourself out on your own, then.  While you're doing that, figure out a way to make Alfred smile again, since your argument with Bruce is what's making him sad.  Come on, Tim.  I see someone I haven't talked to in a while."

Bruce watched as Dick stalked away, Tim all but being dragged in his wake.  He met Damian's eyes for a second, and was surprised to find indecision there.  The look lasted for several seconds, before the iron fell behind Damian's eyes again, and the boy walked away.  Bruce followed Damian with his eyes, until his son sat at a table near the band, and appeared to listen to the music.

A smooth, deep voice entered Bruce's ear from close to his right side.  "Are you and the kid _still_ fighting?  I thought you two would have been able to work out this deal by now.  Or, is this a new fight?"

Despite his mood, a small smile crept onto Bruce's face as he turned to his CFO.  "We're too much alike, Lucius.  Neither one of us knows how to back down.  I wish I knew what I did to start World War Three, though."

Lucius Fox patted Bruce's shoulder, "I thought you said you knew what it was?"

Bruce shrugged, "It can't have been that.  That was such a small thing, to have blown up into...this."

Lucius shook his head, "Small to you.  Obviously not small to him, if this is still going on."

Bruce sighed, "I really don't want to talk about it, Lucius.  I didn't know you were coming tonight."

The older man smiled, "You aren't the only Wayne Enterprises employee to graduate from this school, Bruce.  I graduated from here, too.  So did my kids.  My granddaughter just started here last year.  The least we could do is come out and support the institution, like it seems you are doing.  The Fox family might not have the lengthy history with this school that the Wayne family does, but we've been here a while."

"I honestly don't think I knew that about you, Lucius," Bruce said, looking truly interested.  "Are you here alone tonight?  I don't think I've seen your wife since the Christmas party, five years ago."

Lucius smirked at Bruce, "Well, maybe if you _came_ to a company Christmas party more than once every five years..."

"I'll think about it," Bruce said as a young woman walked up to the pair.  Bruce gave a practiced smile to the woman before saying, "Lucius, have you met Samantha Warren?  Ms. Warren, may I introduce Lucius Fox, Chief Financial Officer of Wayne Enterprises, and a Warrington School alumni.  Lucius, Samantha Warren, Damian's guidance counselor."

"Ms. Warren," Lucius said, shaking the extended hand.

The woman smiled at the men, "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Fox.  May I have a few minutes of your time, Mr. Wayne?"

The smile on Lucius' face grew, "Uh-oh.  Sounds like parent-teacher conference time.  I think you can handle that one on your own, Bruce."

Bruce rolled his eyes good-naturedly as Lucius walked away with a wave.  He turned back to the counselor and tried to paste a smile on his face.  "What can I help you with, Ms. Warren?  What has Damian done this time?"

Samantha shook her head, "Nothing that I've seen, lately.  Although, he has been unusually quiet the past few weeks.  Is there anything going on at home that might be affecting his school performance?"

_I hope it's not affecting his school performance.  If his grades start slipping because we've been arguing...I don't know how to make that better, when he won't talk to me._   "We've had a little friction going on the last few weeks.  Typical teenager dealing with their parent stuff, nothing to worry about...I hope."

"I hope you're right.  I can remember going through that phase with my parents.  It...wasn't fun."

Bruce looked curiously at the woman, "How are his grades doing lately?  He should be getting pretty close to the end of the work packets."

Ms. Warren gave a small smile, "He's doing much better than the school anticipated.  I haven't seen any grade lower than a 95% out of him since he started on the work packets.  In fact, the school was wondering if he was actually doing the work, or just Googling the answers."

"He better be doing the work," Bruce interrupted.

"He is.  We tested him.  Since he is so close to finishing, we have started giving him his final exams for the classes where he's finished all of the work packets.  He is the first person in school history to ace the AP Biology final, and only the third to ace the AP Chemistry final.  I did a little digging and found out that all three of the students to get a perfect score on the Chemistry exam all live under your roof.  You should be proud, Mr. Wayne."

Despite earlier feelings, Bruce couldn't help but smile.  _Three top students live under my roof.  That's got to be a record.  Too bad the only school records Jason set are ones that we don't really want to encourage._   "You're right, I am proud.  Thank you for letting me know what's going on."

If Bruce didn't know better, he would have sworn that Samantha seemed to grow just a bit nervous before opening her mouth again.  "You're welcome, Mr. Wayne.  I actually didn't come over here to talk about Damian, though."

Bruce's eyes widened just a bit.  "You didn't?  I'm sorry, what did you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to talk about Jason."

Bruce was very surprised to hear that.  "Jason?  What did he do?"

Samantha blushed before saying, "He just asked me out.  I wanted to know a little more about him before our date tomorrow night."

_Meanwhile..._

"You never met Mark, did you, Timmy?"

Dick was dragging Tim towards a large man standing near the catering tables.  A much shorter woman was standing next to the mountain of man, laughing at something her two children had just done.

Tim shook his head, "Your friend from high school?  No, I never did.  Is that him?"

Dick didn't answer.  Instead, he walked right up behind the large man, reached up, and slapped him on the back.  Tim watched in shock as the slap seemed to quiet the room.  Mark turned slowly, trying not to snap at someone in front of his kids.

"What the hell do you think...Grayson!"

The combative look instantly melted away as the two old friends hugged each other tightly.  The party seemed to get back on track when it appeared that there would be no fight tonight.

"Haven't seen you since last summer, Grayson.  How've you been?"

Dick smiled brightly up at the man, "Just great, Mark.  How about yourself?"

Mark threw an arm around Dick's shoulder as they turned to the man's family.  "Can't complain.  You already know the family.  Jamie, you remember Dick, don't you?"

The woman looked confused for a second before her eyes widened, "Little Dick Grayson?  There is no way you are the same person everyone called 'shrimp' in high school."

Tim snorted a laugh at the name.  He knew that Dick had been tiny until his middle teen years, but to hear others point it out brought a smile to his face.

Tim was dragged forward, the noise of his snort reminding Dick that he was there.  "Yes, Jamie, I'm the same person who used to coach you in gymnastics, although I never knew that they called me 'shrimp'.  I heard plenty of other names, but not that one.  Mark, Jamie, this is my brother, Tim.  Tim, Mark and Jamie Pierce."

Tim shook the outstretched hands of Dick's old classmates, but an alarm bell was slowly gaining prominence in the back of his head.  Alfred's etiquette lessons were barely enough to cover the fact that Tim was about to enter a full-blown panic.  "It's nice to meet the both of you.  So, tell me, was Dick just as...bouncy...back then, as he is now?"

Jamie smiled at the younger man, "Probably more so.  He used to piss off our gymnastics coach so much.  She liked everything quiet and orderly, and I don't think Dick could do that."

Tim's smile grew, "You're right, he can't."

Dick ruffled Tim's hair, to the annoyance of the third brother.  "I thought that was what you liked about me, Timmy?"  Dick turned back to Mark, "Any thoughts of retiring yet, or are you waiting until you run out of legs?"

Mark shook his head, "I can't take a full pension until after I've been in for twenty years.  Still have a few years to go before that.  I think I'm in for the long haul, though.  I like what I'm doing, and if these two," Mark gestured to his kids, "are going to continue to go here, I need to keep working to pay for their tuition."

"In," Tim asked, confused.

Dick smiled, "Army.  You're a Major now, right Mark?"

The soldier nodded, "Promotion went through at the beginning of the year.  My dad's old training post is now mine."

Tim nodded, his discomfort growing by leaps and bounds as his earlier guess was confirmed.  "Congratulations.  Will you excuse me for a minute?  I need to ask Bruce something."

Tim was gone before anyone said anything, but the old friends let it go as they caught up.

As he crossed the room, Tim watched as a young school employee walked away from Bruce with a smile.  Tim approached, his eyes wide.

Bruce turned to his third son, "Can you believe that?  We're here for fifteen minutes and Jason is already asking someone out."

"That's nice, Bruce," Tim said hurriedly, "We need to talk.  Now."

Bruce looked at Tim critically, "What's wrong, son?  I haven't seen you look like this in a long time."

Tim looked around before leading Bruce to a bench against a side wall of the gymnasium.  "Bruce, we have a problem.  A big problem."

"Just one," Bruce said with a snort.

Tim pointed across the gym, to where Dick, Mark, and Jamie were laughing.  "Do you see who Dick is talking to?"

Bruce took a closer look before he gave a small gasp.  "Is that his old friend?  What's his name...Mike, no, Mark.  Mark Pierce.  Why is that a problem?"

Tim closed his eyes, his jaw shaking lightly with nerves.  He spoke softly, so Bruce had to lean in to hear what was said, "You remember last summer, when we were investigating Firefly?  I told you that I had made a couple quiet inquiries about his jetpack with a contact in the Army?"

Bruce nodded slightly, "Yeah.  Why bring that up now?"

Tim's voice was barely a breath as he said, "Mark Pierce is my contact."

Bruce's eyes widened, "Did he recognize you?"

Tim shook his head, "No, but I don't know if he suspects anything.  I don't disguise my voice as...you know who.  It's possible that he could recognize my voice.  I had to get out of there, before he got suspicious."

Bruce nodded slowly, patting Tim's knee.  "Okay, Tim.  It's okay.  Tell me how you even met him."

Tim took a deep breath, "It was while I was with...in San Francisco.  I was out patrolling one night, at the Navy Yard, when I came across a firefight.  Some local gangs were targeting a military convoy, transporting weapons.  They wanted to take the weapons for some extra muscle in a gang war.  The convoy troops were pinned down.  Several had already been killed, and it didn't look good for the soldiers.  I worked my way behind the gang and started reducing their numbers, as quietly as I could.  Between me and the troopers, we drove off the gangsters and kept the convoy from falling into their hands.  The soldiers wanted to shoot me, not knowing who I was, but their commander recognized my uniform.  He said he was from Gotham, and offered his thanks.  He asked how he could repay me, and I enlisted him to be an informant.  I've only used him a couple times.  I had no idea he was Dick's old friend from school.  I've heard Dick's stories about them, but I never put it together that they are the same person!"

Bruce took a deep breath, "Okay.  Well, it doesn't seem like he recognized you.  When was the last time you actually saw him?"

"It's been a few years."

"Then, I think you might be okay.  Find a way to let Dick know what's going on, but for the most part, I'd say, try to ignore it for tonight.  What have I always said about informants, though?"

Tim sighed, "Always vet them, then vet them again.  Then, vet them again.  He's already a vet, though."

Bruce did a double-take before a smile crossed his face.  "Yes, I guess he is.  Any other big announcements for tonight?  I'd like to get something to eat."

Tim shook his head, "No, I think that one was big enough for tonight."

Bruce nodded, patting Tim's shoulder.  "Then, try to enjoy yourself.  Why don't you go find an old teacher and debate them over something?  That ought to cheer you up."

_Meanwhile..._

"Their playing really doesn't deserve that reaction, Short Stuff."

Damian sneered as Jason took a seat next to him at the table.  He set down a plate overflowing with appetizers as Damian wiped at the solitary tear that had escaped his control to streak slowly down his cheek.

"Shut up, Todd."

Jason smiled widely at the boy.  "Is that the best you can do?  You've been surly for going on a month, and that's the best comeback you have?"

Damian turned his face away from his elder brother, "I'm not in the mood for this.  Leave me alone."

"You're not in the mood for anything, except finding new and exciting ways to piss off Bruce," Jason said around a mouthful of appetizers.

Damian rolled his eyes, "You better not let Pennyworth see you talking with your mouth full.  By the way, did you leave any for the rest of the guests?"

Jason nudged the youngest brother playfully, "What Alfred doesn't know, doesn't hurt me.  You know, you're the reason he took off for a long weekend.  You and Bruce fighting is really taking a toll on him."

Damian turned back to the table.  Embarrassingly enough, a second tear had disobeyed orders and made an unscheduled appearance on his face.  Wiping it away, Damian looked around Jason, like he was looking for something.

"What are you looking for," Jason asked in a confused tone.

"The wires.  The receiver.  I wouldn't think you would allow Grayson to control you like that.  Are you wearing an earpiece, so he can feed you lines, or did he make you memorize a script?"

Jason's demeanor became as serious as Damian had ever seen it.  "This goes beyond jokes, Damian.  Do you think any of us like living in a warzone?  Even if it is a cold war, it still needs to stop.  I know something happened between you two.  Why won't you talk about it?  Let Golden Boy do his thing, and help you two make this go away."

"Do you think I like what's going on," Damian snapped quietly.  He pointed at his cheek as a third unwanted tear succumbed to gravity, "This isn't happening because of a rather stirring interpretation of Bach by the band, which it isn't.  What do you think I've been doing while sitting here?  I've been thinking about what's going on.  It's all I can think about.  And before you make another stupid crack, I know exactly what it's been like at home.  I live there, too.  I know it has gone too far, but he's just as much at fault as I am.  He can end this just as easily as I can."

Jason leaned forward, "Then end it.  Pull your head out of your ass and be the bigger man.  If you are both equally at fault, then you both are equally responsible for reaching out and ending this shit.  You've lived with Bruce long enough to know that he's not going to even consider apologizing, or talking it out, or doing whatever needs to be done in order to end this little standoff of yours, if it means admitting fault in any way.  It's up to you to show him the error of his ways."

Damian was silent as he thought about what was said.  Jason gave him a minute, as he could see the wheels turning.  Eventually, Damian said, "It's not as easy as you make it sound, Todd."

Jason rolled his eyes again, "Yeah, yeah.  I know just how hard it is to go head to head with a Wayne.  All that ego tends to create a nearly impenetrable shield around their head that doesn't allow for the possibility that they might be wrong to enter their brain.  Yes, I said 'they'.  You've got it, too.  I guess you inherit that before you inherit the stock portfolio."

Damian picked an appetizer from the plate and popped it into his mouth.  Chewing, he said, "Why do you care so much, Todd?"

Jason gave a small smile, "Because you're working my side of the street.  I'm supposed to be the one at odds with Bruce.  You're supposed to be the annoying one with the attitude problem."  Damian didn't respond as he took another appetizer from the plate and tossed it into his mouth.  Jason shook his head as he stood and snatched the plate off of the table, "Think about it, while I think about what sort of embarrassing stories I can share with your guidance counselor on our date tomorrow.  You've been holding out on me, Short Stuff.  You could have mentioned that she's hot."

Damian looked slightly disgusted, "I've never looked at any of my teachers that way, Todd.  Why would you think I even would, when I already have the perfect girl?"

Jason hesitated in giving his snarky reply for just a fraction of a second as he considered what he had just heard.  Damian's tone changed when he mentioned his girlfriend, and not in the normal way.  He didn't get a dreamy look in his eye, and his tone got strained, instead of softer, like it usually did.  Holding on to that information for later analysis, Jason instead said, "Well, I guess I'm just hot for teacher."

_Meanwhile..._

"Hey, Timmy.  Are you alright?"

Tim looked up from the display of old yearbooks he had been perusing as Dick's voice came up behind him.  Tim had finally found the first picture of Bruce in any of the old yearbooks, and he had mixed feelings about what he saw.  On the one hand, if the caption hadn't read Bruce's name, Tim would have wondered how Damian managed to time-travel back to 1983 to impersonate his own father.  On the other hand, the sadness and loneliness on display in the picture explained far too much about the man Bruce had become.  It was to be expected that Bruce would look sad in the picture.  After all, it was taken only a few short years after his parents had been murdered.  He hadn't lost the pained look in thirty-seven years, why would he look any better adjusted thirty-seven months after the event?  It just hurt Tim's heart to know that Bruce had suffered for so long.

Turning to Dick, Tim tried to put on a smile, to cover his recent thoughts.  "Yeah, I'm okay.  Why?"

Dick shook his head, "You pretty much ran away from Mark and Jamie a few minutes ago.  Is there something going on that I don't know about?  Have you met either of them before?"  Dick gasped, "You didn't sleep with Jamie, did you?"

Tim looked at Dick like an alien had sprung out of his head and was waving hello.  "Why would you even think something like that?  I've never met Jamie, before tonight.  Do you think that little of your friends, or your brother, for that matter?"

Dick looked down sheepishly, "Well...no.  There has to be some reason, though.  You don't do anything without a reason.  To run off like you did, it makes me curious."

Tim looked around and decided this wasn't a safe place to talk.  There were several other attendees gathered around the table, and the conversation he had to have with Dick could be overheard by none of them.  "Come with me."

Tim led Dick out of the gymnasium and into the darkened halls of the Warrington School.  Following down several corridors and up a staircase, Tim finally felt they were in a good enough place for this conversation.  "Okay.  You've told me about your old friend a lot over the years.  I've wanted to meet him for a while. I felt he needed to know just how influential he's been on your life, and how that change in you was used on all of us."

Dick smiled, "Damian told him something similar last summer, when we ran into them at Disney World, but go on."

Tim dropped his voice even lower for the next part of his explanation.  "I've wanted to meet Mark for a long time, until tonight.  When I saw him, I realized that I've actually met him before.  Several times, in fact."

Dick looked at Tim in confusion, "You did?  Then why did you both make it seem like this was the first time you've met?"

Tim took a deep breath, "Because, officially, it is.  Dick, I met Mark several years ago, while...working."

Dick looked suspicious, "Was this an overnight occasion?"

Tim thought for a second, "...Yes."

"So, what's the problem?  I assume that your...night clothes...are not _revealing?"_

Tim sighed, "This wasn't just a chance encounter.  I saved his life, and the lives of most of his squad.  He was...appreciative of my actions."

Dick cocked his head, "You aren't sleeping with Mark, are you?"

Tim rolled his eyes heavily, "What is wrong with you tonight, Dick?  Why does your mind keep going there?  No, I'm not sleeping with him _or_ her."

"I'm still not getting why this is a problem, Tim."

Tim looked around before speaking in a tone just above a whisper.  "Dick, I recruited Mark to be an informant for me, inside the Army."

Dick looked shocked, "What?"

"I retained Mark's services for some inside information, every now and then, when a case involves the military."

"Tim, how could you do that to my friend?  Do you know the kind of danger that could put his career in?"

Tim shook his head, "I've only used him a couple times.  I told him all along that he doesn't have to put himself out.  I know he's not some thug from the streets that we can lean on.  I've never asked him for anything that would get him in serious trouble."

Dick shook his head at the explanation, "But, he's my friend!"

"I didn't know they were the same guy!  Until tonight, I've only known him as 'Captain Pierce'.  I guess it's 'Major Pierce', now.  Every time you've talked about your old friend, you only ever call him 'Mark'.  How am I supposed to put them together like that, especially when I was on the other side of the country the first time I met him?"

Dick turned around and paced a few steps, stroking his chin.  "Okay, we have to come up with something better than that.  I told Mark I would let him know what he did to scare you off.  Believe it or not, he's a sensitive guy.  When you didn't come back, he wanted to know how he offended you."

Tim sighed again, "I'm sorry, Dick.  I panicked.  The last person I was expecting to see tonight is a confidential informant."

Dick nodded, patting Tim's shoulder absently, "It's okay, Timmy.  I understand why you did it now.  Now, we just have to think of something believable to tell Mark."

Tim paced along with Dick, trying to think of something.  It took a minute before Tim said, "You once said he was a hero buff.  Do you think we could call Superman out to distract him?"

Dick smirked, "That would work, but I was thinking of something a little less...involved."

Tim looked up again, "I take it he saw me talking to Bruce?"

Dick could tell through Tim's tone of voice that he was on to something, "Yes.  What are you thinking?"

"We go with your original suggestion, but with a necessary twist."

Dick looked confused again.  "Superman?"

Tim shook his head, "No, sleeping with Jamie.  Instead of that, we tell them that I recently broke up with a girl who looks exactly like Jamie.  Close enough to be sisters.  Tell them that seeing her scared me, because I thought she was the same girl who dumped me.  Go overboard with it if you have to.  Tell them that I'm really depressed over the whole situation because I thought I was going to marry her.  It's not Jamie's fault that they look alike, it just triggered something in me.  Really sell it, Dick.  You've got to give me a reason to not go over there and talk to them anymore tonight, while keeping suspicion off of the real reason."

Dick took a deep breath as he concocted a plausible story in his head.  "I'll do my best, Timmy."

_Meanwhile..._

"Um, Father?  Can...can we talk?  For a minute?"

Bruce nearly dropped his drink at hearing the soft voice behind him.  He hadn't heard that tone from Damian in quite a while.  Turning, Bruce thought it was a completely different boy than his own standing behind him.  Gone were the angry stares, stony silences, and arms crossed tightly across his chest.  In their place was a gently questioning look and a body posture that screamed insecurity.

With a small nod, Bruce said, "Yes, I think we should."

Damian walked back to the table he had been occupying for the last hour and a half, Bruce following behind.  Bruce had to remind himself that they were in public, at an event with copious amounts of photographers, and he couldn't allow himself to be seen arguing with the boy.  He also had to remind himself that Damian had come to him, not demanding to be heard, but asking to talk.  The nerves in his son's tone of voice were enough to allow Bruce to set aside his own hostility, in the hope of ending their conflict.

They sat, and the nervous tension rose again, to the point where Father and Son couldn't even look at each other.  _What was I thinking,_ Damian thought, _this is a terrible place to try to do this.  We can't yell at each other here, which seems to be our only form of communication lately.  Still, it felt nice when he put his hands on my shoulders for the pictures.  It felt like...how we used to be._

Bruce was just as nervous as Damian was.  _I can't believe he reached out.  Even if he doesn't say anything else, this proves that he really is maturing.  Or, did he strategically choose to try this here, where we're under the scrutiny of just about everyone.  He knows I won't yell at him here.  Maybe that will make this a bit easier, knowing that yelling isn't an option._

When the silence stretched into its fifth minute, Bruce finally said softly, "Did...did you want to actually talk, Damian?"

Sighing, the boy nodded his head, "Yeah...um, yes, Father.  I..."

Bruce took a deep breath, "Well, go for it."

Damian stared at Bruce's hands, folded on top of the table.  "Well, um..." Damian sighed heavily, seeming to shrink a little, "I can't do this anymore.  We...we can't do this anymore."

Bruce's eyes migrated to the table as well, "The fighting, you mean?"

Damian nodded softly, "Yes, Father.  I don't want us to fight anymore.  It makes me feel...strange."

Bruce was concerned at the admission, "How so, son?"

Damian's hand rose to his chest and rested there for a second.  "It hurts, Father.  Inside, I mean.  I don't want to hurt.  I don't like it."

Bruce was shocked at what he heard.  His hand inched closer to the smaller one, still resting on the table.  "I don't want you to hurt either, Damian.  This has gone on for far too long.  I've wanted to talk, but every time we get within sight of each other, you've been giving me this look, like I kicked your puppy, or something.  I didn't kick Titus, by the way.  If you would just tell me what I did to start this, maybe we can find a way past it."

Damian finally looked up at his father's face, true astonishment written on his features.  "How can you not know what started this argument?"

Bruce thought back, "The last civil conversation we had before this all started was your weekly request to go to Alaska.  I've said no to that enough times.  One more negative response can't have caused all of this."

A sneer started to cross Damian's face before he was able to control it, through great effort.  "It's not just saying no.  You broke a promise."

This admission shocked Bruce.  He couldn't remember making a promise to Damian that he had reneged on.  "If I did, then I'm sorry, but I don't remember which promise I broke.  Will you tell me?"

Only by recognizing the fact that Bruce was trying to keep the lines of communication, so recently reestablished, open, was Damian able to stay seated at the table.  Only through great force of will did Damian keep from yelling his response.  "You don't _remember_?  What happened just before the Abbey's moved to Alaska?"

It took Bruce nearly a minute to narrow down the events to the one that he thought Damian might be referring to.  "Robin tried to break up with you?"

"Yes, but we stayed together.  When Robin and I told you and Mr. Abbey our plan to try a long distance relationship, the two of you promised to make it possible for us to see each other, to be able to get together once in a while."

Bruce shook his head, "If I remember correctly, I took you to see Robin."

Damian sighed, a hint of a growl following the exhalation.  "Yes, you took me to see Robin on your business trip last summer.  _Last_ _summer_ , Father.  That was August, and when we left Alaska, you promised me that we would be able to get together again soon.  Do you know what has happened since then?"

Bruce sounded confused when he said, "What?"

Damian's eyes narrowed, "Nothing.  Nothing has happened, Father.  I've tried not to bug you about it, but saying no has gone on long enough.  I've more than earned a plane ticket, Father, and so has Robin."

"Like I said before, Damian, you've been asking weekly, which then turned into daily.  You think that hasn't gotten old for me?"

Damian nodded, "You haven't paid attention to any of my requests, have you?"

Bruce cocked his head, "What do you mean?"

Damian had to take a second to breathe, in order to keep his voice at a normal level.  "Yes, I ask weekly, but I don't ask to _go_ weekly.  If you've been paying attention, you'll have noticed that I ask for specific dates when I make my requests.  When one date passes, I've been moving on to the next one.  Do you know what month this is, Father?"

"It's March.  What does that have to do with this?"

"You took me to Alaska in August.  Since then, both Robin and I have only been able to see each other over Skype.  We weren't allowed to travel on my birthday, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years', or Valentine's Day.  I tried to understand those, and I didn't argue when I wasn't given a reason why we couldn't see each other.  But, you refused three months' worth of requests for us to get together _this_ weekend, and that was one step too far."

Bruce still looked confused, "What's so special about this weekend?"

Damian didn't know if he wanted to yell or cry at that question.  "How can you ask that?  It's like you don't even pay attention to what's important to me.  Asking that question just shows me that you haven't listened to a thing I've said to you since the calendar changed over to start the new year."

Bruce was shocked to see tears standing out in Damian's eyes.  "It hasn't been all that long since you've seen each other."

"Seven months, Father!  It's been seven months.  Do you even know what tomorrow is, and how important it is to me?"

Bruce pulled the hand he had been inching across the table back, knowing the gesture of reaching out to his son would no longer be appreciated, with the turn the conversation was taking.  "Why don't you explain it to me, son?"

Damian's eyes migrated back to the table top again, as he spoke in a subdued, almost broken, tone, "Tomorrow is Robin's and my one year anniversary.  We've been dating for a year, although I don't even know if we can still be called a couple.  One year, and we have been kept apart, by you and her father, for more than half of that time."

Damian was doing everything he could to keep from crying as he heard what he just said out loud.  Bruce let out a deep breath before speaking quietly.  "Damian, I'm sorry.  I truly am.  Why didn't you tell me it was such an important date?"

"I _did,_ Father.  That just proves that you don't listen to me.  That...that I'm not important to you."

Bruce grimaced, "That's not fair, and it's not true, Damian."

Damian glanced up, speaking softly as a tear rolled down his cheek.  "It _is_ true, Father.  Do you know how many times I asked you if I could see Robin this weekend?  Eighty-four. Eighty-four times; and every time, I asked if either I or Robin could travel to see each other this weekend, for our anniversary."

Bruce had to think back, and he felt eminently guilty when he realized that his son was telling the truth.  "Oh, Damian.  I really did deserve this last month, didn't I?"

Damian didn't seem to hear Bruce's remark.  "I've done everything you've asked of me...everything everyone has asked of me.  I guess I really am the fourth son; in birth order _and_ importance."

Bruce was shaking his head slightly at the depressed remarks leaving his son's mouth.  "Damian, you know that's not true.  We just need to learn how to communicate better."

Damian lifted his head, his eyes flashing over wet cheeks.  "You've been saying that for two years now.  I asked you eighty-four days straight if I could see Robin for our anniversary.  How much clearer does that communication have to be?"

"Damian, I..."

"You say we need to communicate better.  That's a two-way street, you know.  I'm trying, why aren't you?"

Bruce flinched at the jab, but waited a second before answering.  Their voices had steadily been rising, and they couldn't afford the news articles a public fight would bring.  Bruce glanced over Damian's shoulder, to see Dick halfway across the room.  The eldest son was glaring at Bruce, and trying to motion for them to keep their voices down.

"This isn't getting us anywhere, Damian," Bruce said softly, "We both need to take a minute and calm down.  I'm sorry that this is happening, and I'm sorry I didn't listen to you.  I wish there was a way for me to make this better."

Damian scoffed, "Do you have Robin in your back pocket?"

"No."

"Do you have a plane ticket in your back pocket?"

"No."

"Jacket pocket?"

Bruce couldn't help but chuckle at the rejoinder.  "Again, no."

Damian took a deep breath, "Then, why did you promise me that I would be able to see Robin, when you had no intention of following through?"

Bruce gasped at the statement.  He wasn't used to being on the defensive in a negotiation, and deep down, he was proud of his son for the way he was handling himself tonight.  "I guess I just got caught up in my own life.  I guess I also don't want you growing up so quickly.  I know you are desperately in love with Robin.  I know you want to see more than a picture of her.  I honestly didn't think it had been that long since the Alaska trip."

Damian looked down again before saying softly, "Well, it has.  When...when was the last time you were in love, Father?"

Bruce was a bit embarrassed by the question.  He wasn't so much embarrassed by his son asking it, but by the honest answer.  "It's been...a while."

"Do you remember what it feels like?"

A small smile crossed Bruce's face.  "Yes, I do," he answered wistfully.

Damian's lower lip was shaking as he said, "I'm starting to forget."

"Son?"

"I'm starting to forget what it feels like to hold her in my arms.  I'm starting to forget what her hair smelled like.  I'm starting to forget the way her eyes would sparkle when the light hit them just right, and how easily I could get drawn into them.  They were hypnotic, Father, and the light doesn't dance in her eyes the same way when seen on a computer monitor.  I'm losing my memories of that lightheaded feeling I would get, when just being around her was enough to make me forget how to breathe.  I can't remember what her hand felt like, when it was held in mine.  These are all treasured memories of our time together, Father, but now, that's all they are.  I know that they happened, but they don't feel like they happened to _me_ anymore."

The silence hung between father and son for several minutes, before Bruce finally reached across the table and took Damian's hand.  "I'm so sorry, Damian.  I honestly didn't know that you felt this so deeply..."

Damian huffed in frustration as he interrupted Bruce's apology, "Don't apologize for not knowing.  What you should be apologizing for is not bothering to find out.  In the entire seven months that you kept us apart, you never once asked me about her, or about our relationship.  I found someone I love.  Do you know how special that is?  She makes me want to be a better person, and that isn't even worth a short question at the dinner table to you."  Damian sighed, "This was a mistake, trying to end this here tonight.  I'm sorry we've argued and fought for the last month, Father.  I was out of line, and I'll try harder in the future.  Right now, though, leave me alone.  I can't even stand to look at you."

Damian snatched his hand back and turned away from Bruce to stare at the band.  Bruce stared at the back of Damian's head for several minutes, jaw hanging in shock, before he was able to pull himself together.  "I'm sorry, son.  You may find this hard to believe, but I'll find a way to make this up to you."

Damian sniffled mightily and said, "You only get _one_ first anniversary," before standing and striding with purpose away from the table.

_Soon After..._

"I take it that didn't quite go to plan?"

No sooner had Damian disappeared from Bruce's sight did Dick take the boy's abandoned chair.  Bruce sighed and shook his head, "Didn't really have a plan, since he approached me.  Did it go how I would have liked?  No.  Did it go pretty much how I expected?  Also no.  It _did_ go better than I hoped it would, though.  We didn't get too loud, did we?"

Dick shook his head, "Compared to how you two started this argument a month ago, you were basically whispering tonight.  You were a little loud for a society party, but not loud enough to make the papers."

Bruce accepted the assessment, "I could tell that he was trying to hold back.  He didn't want to cry in public."

"He still did, though," Dick pointed out, "I think you should take that as proof that he's serious about whatever he thinks you did to him."

"I'm surprised you're sitting here, Dick.  I figured you would have followed him to...wherever he went."

Dick gave a small smile, "I tried that when we got here, remember?  I don't think I got anywhere with him.  Timmy is still hiding out from Mark.  He doesn't want to have to come up with any other excuses tonight, until he can process what he's done to my friend.  I still can't believe that, by the way.  Anyway, I sent Jason to follow Damian.  He said they talked a little earlier, before Damian came to see you.  I just want to see if there is anything I can do to help you.  That conversation looked rough."

Bruce hung his head for a second, "It was.  I wish there _was_ something you could do to help.  I think Alfred is the only one who can save us now."

Dick looked at Bruce with confusion on his features, "Alfred?  Isn't he gone until Monday?  We might have a bit of a problem, then, because I can't see Damian getting into the car with you right now, when we go home.  Did you at least find out what this whole argument has been about?"

Dick didn't like the guilty look that crossed Bruce's face.  "I, uh, I've known what this has been about all along."

Dick's confusion grew, "...Keep going."

Bruce sighed again, "His anniversary is tomorrow.  Damian's and Robin's."

Steel grew behind Dick's eyes.  "Why isn't he on a plane to Alaska, then?  Why isn't Robin on a plane, on her way out here?"

The slightest hint of a smirk crossed Bruce's face, and Dick gasped, his jaw dropping.  "She _is_ on a plane, on her way out here," Dick stated in astonishment.

Bruce nodded, "Alfred is not taking a long weekend; he is waiting at Gotham International Airport for Alaska Airlines flight nine-seven-five, which should be landing," Bruce checked his watch, "Twenty-six minutes ago."

It took a second for Dick to get over his shock.  "Okay, so why is Damian here, crying in the bathroom, instead of there, waiting for his girlfriend?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise.  He _has_ earned it, even with this last month we've had."

Dick shook his head, "You knew, and you let this go on?"

Bruce gave a small sigh, "I never thought it would get this bad, Dick.  If anything, though, he did apologize before he stormed off."

Dick thought for a moment, "You wanted to surprise him?  Is Alfred bringing her here?"

Bruce nodded, "Hopefully they are already on their way."

"You know you just ruined his weekend with Robin, or however long she's staying, by doing this.  Do you know how guilty he's going to feel when he finds out this has all been, basically, a plan he wasn't involved in?  You know how much he likes surprises."

Bruce considered Dick's statement.  They had all found out firsthand how much his youngest disliked surprises on his last birthday.  Damian had been in another mood, and also getting over a cold, when he decided he wanted to let his thirteenth birthday pass uncelebrated.  When a small surprise celebration was sprung, long-ingrained and long-buried fight or flight reactions were triggered.  Serious injuries were avoided only through the superhero reflexes of the party's attendees, but the formal dining room required some serious drywall repair, and a new coat of paint.

Bruce didn't have a chance to reply as Jason hurried up to the table.  Dick took in his brother's flushed appearance and said, "What happened to..."

"He's gone," Jason interrupted breathlessly.

"What," Bruce snapped.

Jason sat and said, "I lost him in the crowd for a minute.  The next time I reacquired him, he was walking out the front door.  By the time I got there...I'm sorry, I lost him."

Bruce slumped back, running the fingers of his left hand through his hair.  "Okay.  He can't have gotten too far; it's only been a couple minutes.  He won't go far."

Dick looked at Bruce seriously, "The last time he got frustrated and ran away, he walked from the Manor to Tim's old apartment."

Bruce's eyes widened at the memory, "Right, so he could conceivably be anywhere in the city.  Dick, call him.  Jason, look around outside a bit.  Don't make it obvious that you're looking for anything specific.  Just make it look like you're getting some fresh air.  Where's Tim?"

Dick shrugged, "Don't know."

Bruce sighed again, "Okay, I'll call him.  Get going, you two."

_Meanwhile..._

"You look like you could use a friend."

Damian looked up from the bench he was sitting on, outside of the school tennis courts, as Tim took a seat next to him.

"You followed me?  I thought Grayson had assigned Todd to watch me?"

Tim gave a small smile, "I didn't know this was a whole covert operation.  I just saw you leaving the party and thought you looked sad.  I thought you might want to compare problems."

Damian glanced over, "I think I've got you beat tonight, Drake."

Tim smiled again, surprised to hear Damian speaking civilly, for the first time in almost a month.  "Try this on for size.  When Dick dragged me away from you at the beginning of the evening, we went to say hi to his old friend from school."

That caught Damian's attention, "Captain Pierce is here tonight?  I didn't see him."

Tim looked at Damian strangely, before realization dawned on him.  "That's right, you got to meet him last summer.  Well, it's Major Pierce now, and yes, he and his whole family are here tonight.  Dick introduced us, and I realized I'd met him before."

Damian shrugged, "A social faux-pas, perhaps.  That isn't exactly a problem."

Tim's smile grew, "Wait until I tell you _where_ I met him."  Tim leaned over to whisper in the boy's ear, "I came to his aid once, while out on patrol, when I was with the Titans."

Damian glanced shrewdly at Tim, "I still think my problem has yours beat."

Tim continued softly, "I _recruited_ him.  He's been an information source for me for years.  How was I supposed to know that he was the same guy Dick used to talk about all the time?"

Damian leaned back and thought for a second, the merest glimmer of a smile twitching the ends of his mouth.  "Well, Grayson _will_ kill you."

Tim nodded with a smile, "Yes.  He wasn't too happy about it.  I've been trying to avoid Mark this whole night, in case he is able to put something together."  Tim stared at his little brother for half a minute as Damian considered Tim's story, "So, do you still have me beat?"

Damian sighed, "Yes, but it's a closer competition than I thought it would be."

"Well, I told you mine.  It's time to see if you really win this round."

Damian stared at his hands and spoke softly, "Father couldn't care less about what's going on in my life.  I found out tonight that he hasn't listened to me, I mean _really_ listened to me, in over three months."

"That can't be true, Damian."

Damian shrugged, "He hears the words, but doesn't put together that they actually mean anything.  He only hears what he wants to hear, and recently, that has not included anything I've had to talk to him about."

Tim looked confused, "You said you found out tonight.  What happened to cause the last month of fighting between you two?"

Damian took a shuddering breath, "Do you know what tomorrow is?"

"...Saturday?"

Damian rolled his eyes, "It's my anniversary with Robin.  I spent three months telling that to Father, and asking to see her in person.  Father ignored me.  Three months, and he didn't get the importance of tomorrow until I told him tonight."

Damian gasped as he eyes started leaking again.  Tim shook his head as he pulled Damian into a tight hug.  Damian let himself be pulled in close, then buried his face in Tim's shoulder.  He tried not to cry, and was able to hold back his emotions for all of six seconds.  It was the first time in a month that anyone had really paid attention to him, instead of his attitude, and he needed it.  Growing up with only negative attention had ingrained that sense into him, and he still reverted back to that when he needed to be seen.  He had learned how to draw attention, but it was far nicer when he didn't have to resort to such childish means.  Feeling needy left a sour taste in his mouth, but it was better than suffering in silence.

"He doesn't care about me, Tim," Damian sobbed, "I've tried.  I've tried everything I know to get through to him, to please him.  I've done everything he's asked of me, and more.  That's all he seems to want; more.  Nothing I do is ever good enough.  I don't know what to do anymore.  He doesn't realize what I gave up to stay with him."

Tim held his brother tightly, knowing that Damian was just venting frustrations now.  Tim could sympathize.  He had made the same pleas to Dick several times, when he had been the young one that Bruce was ignoring.  "He knows, Damian.  Trust me, he knows."

Damian shook his head, still pressed against Tim's shoulder, "He only knows the surface of it.  Do you know what I would have been, had I stayed with Grandfather and Talia?"

_Whoa, this is going a little deeper than I thought_ , Tim thought to himself.  _He isn't thinking of going back to his mother, is he?  Not only would that kill Bruce and Dick, but Damian would be miserable.  He's changed so much in the last few years; going back there would probably tear his mind in half.  I need to make sure he knows exactly what he's saying._ "You would have been an assassin, Damian.  A murderer.  I know how much you don't like that descriptor next to your name."

Damian didn't seem to hear Tim's response, "I would have been a king.  I would have had the world at my feet.  I literally gave up immortality, to have a chance to have a father, and a family."

"You made the right choice, brother."

"I know I did," Damian snapped, then looked up at Tim's face, "Why are you the only one who can see it that way?"

Tim didn't have a chance to respond, because his phone started ringing.  Tim pulled the device from his pocket and looked at the caller ID.  He smirked as he answered, "Hello, Bruce...Damian went missing, huh."  Damian rolled his eyes next to Tim, as the older brother continued talking to their father, "I don't know, Bruce.  You know how sneaky he is.  He could be anywhere...Okay, let me look around a bit...No, I think I might have an idea of where he is."  Tim snaked an arm around Damian's shoulders, trying not to laugh, "Found him...How did I find him so quick?  How did you _lose_ him so quick?"

Damian's phone started ringing as Tim said, "We're fine, Bruce.  He just had to blow off a little steam...Right, see you soon."

Damian sighed as he answered his phone, "What, Grayson?"

A relieved sigh came through the line, "Oh, thank god, you answered your phone.  You had us worried, you know."

The boy shook his head, "You're just upset that I gave your little minion the slip."

Damian could hear the snarky tone as Dick said, "I thought you were my little..."

"I am _not_ your little minion," Damian interrupted harshly, "Now, what do you want?"

"Are you okay," Dick asked simply.

Damian opened his mouth to make a sarcastic remark, but it died on his tongue.  Instead, he sighed and said, "Not really.  I screwed up with Father...again.  I needed some time alone.  Then, I didn't.  Drake realized that before I did."

Dick sighed in relief, "You're with Timmy?  Good.  Was he able to help you?"

Damian looked over at Tim, who was just hanging up his phone, "Yeah, he was."

"Good.  You need to come back to the gym, then."

Damian's eyes narrowed at that statement.  "No.  I'm not ready for that, yet.  I...Father doesn't want to see me right now."

Dick looked over at Bruce, who was staring intently at his eldest.  "He does," Dick said softly.  "If you two can't get past this while you're here tonight, then you two can work it out at home.  You still need to come back to the party, though."

Damian sounded nervous as he spoke, "I...I need more time.  I'm not ready for that yet."

Dick nodded as he spoke, "Okay, I can understand that.  Take all the time you need to pull yourself together, and be back at the table where you've been sitting all night in three minutes."

The line was quiet for half a minute before Damian growled, "You know, you really are starting to turn into Father, Grayson."

Dick smiled as Damian hung up the phone.  "What," Bruce asked, seeing his son's expression.

Dick thought for a second before saying, "I don't think I've ever been so insulted by a compliment before.  Or, is it, complimented by an insult?"

"What did he say," Bruce asked, half nervous and half amused.

"That I'm turning into you."

Bruce smiled, "Quite the insult, coming from him right now."  Bruce took a breath before asking, "So, are you okay with him turning to Tim, instead of you, for help and advice?"

Dick gave a warm smile, "I love that those two are brothers now, especially after how their relationship started.  Are you going to be okay, though?  You're throwing two hormonal, emotional teenagers at each other, and hoping to not come out of this a grandfather."

Bruce breathed deeply at the thought, "It's going to be a long five days."

_Three Minutes Later, give or take..._

Tim and Damian returned to the school gym just after Dick's three minute time limit.  Tim walked into the space, but Damian hesitated at the door.  He looked around for half a minute, but didn't see his father anywhere.  Shrugging internally, Damian returned to his table and sat down, listening to the band mangle another classical selection.  If he was honest with himself, Damian had half expected his father to be waiting for him at the table.

The song ended, and a wholly unexpected voice caught Damian's ear.  "They really are just as bad as I remember them being."

Damian's gasp filled the gym as he turned in his chair.  He nearly slipped off the seat as an unbelievable sight met his eyes.  It took him a minute before he could trust himself to stand and ask softly, "What are you doing here?"

Robin gave a brilliant smile and said, "I know I don't have to explain that to you."

Damian numbly shuffled forward, hoping against hope that this wasn't an elaborate hallucination.  "I mean, how?  The last thing Father said to me was 'no'."

Robin shook her head, "That wasn't the last word I heard."

Damian grabbed the girl's outstretched hands, and this entire surreal situation became very real.  It was only then that he noticed he had to look up to maintain sight of the green eyes that he loved so much.  "You didn't have to wear the high heels, you know."

Robin blushed slightly, and Damian looked down to find flat-soled shoes on the girl's feet.  A small smile crossed his face as he saw the ankle bracelet he had given her the last time they saw each other sitting right where it was supposed to be, but the smile started to fade when he looked back up at her face.  "Oh.  Well then, damn.  That's a hell of a growth spurt."

Robin now stood five inches taller than her younger boyfriend, and nervously asked, "Is that okay?"

Damian gave an easy smile that was able to draw the tension from Robin.  "Of course it's okay.  That's just more of you to love.  I won't always be this short, you know."

Robin gave a relieved smile before whispering, "What are you waiting for?"

Damian looked just a slight bit nervous.  "It's been so long.  Is...I mean, is it okay?  To kiss you, I mean."

Robin's smile grew, "You have no idea how okay it is."

Damian's look eased as he said, "You're going to have to help me."

"What?"

"Meet me halfway."

Damian rose up on his toes as Robin bent down to meet his upturned mouth with her own.  The party faded from their minds as their arms wrapped tightly around each other.  The small eternity they spent in each other's arms wasn't long enough for either of them, but at the same time, breathing was mandatory.

Only when they separated did Damian finally spot his family.  They were standing against one gym wall, staring at the young couple, like most of the gathering was.

Damian sighed and said softly, "Come on, there's something I have to do first."

The pair walked hand in hand until they were standing in front of Bruce.  Quietly, Dick led Robin and the former Robins away, to stand near Alfred, at the entrance to the gymnasium.

Damian took a deep breath before breaking the silence.  "Why?"

"Happy anniversary, Damian," Bruce said kindly.

"Why pretend you didn't know, though," Damian asked, desperate for his rising confusion to go away.

Bruce reached out and placed a hand on Damian's shoulder, "You were right earlier.  I hadn't been listening to you.  Alfred was able to get through to me.  Neither of us knew how important this was to you, though."

Damian looked down, "I've been such an ass to you, Father."

Bruce nodded, "Yes, you have, but I assume you wouldn't have acted that way if this wasn't very important."

"I..." Damian trailed off, words failing him.

Bruce just smiled and said, "Go on.  You don't want to keep your girl or your ride waiting."

"My ride," Damian glanced over to find Robin standing next to Alfred.

"Alfred will take the two of you home," Bruce said with a soft smile.

For the first time in a month, Damian embraced his father tightly.  Bruce sighed deeply, as he could tell that the cold war was finally over.

Pulling back, Damian looked up and asked, "Rules, Father?"

Bruce gave a small smile, "Your bedroom door is to remain open at all times.  Your clothes are to remain on at all times.  I doubt the two of you will be spending any time at the pool; it's supposed to rain this weekend.  Don't do anything that is going to make Alfred embarrassed, or anything that will make me reconsider allowing Robin to come out here.  Most of all, I'm not ready to be a grandfather yet.  Make sure I don't have to worry about that happening any time soon."

Damian rolled his eyes, "Father, you say that like it's a foregone conclusion.  You seem to forget that Robin is not ready to be a mother, and I am no more ready to be a father than you are to be a grandfather."

Bruce smiled, "That may be, but you don't need to be getting in any extra practice, either."

Damian looked up solemnly, "We won't have sex, Father.  No matter how much we might want to, I still don't feel ready for that step.  However, I can guarantee you that we will get close."

Bruce sighed, knowing his son would respond that way.  "The rule about keeping your clothes on includes making sure that nothing is sticking out that isn't supposed to be out."

"I'll try, Father."

"You'll do a hell of a lot more than try.  Remember whose roof you live under, Damian."

Damian flinched, remembering several times over the last month where he had seriously considered finding someone else's roof to live under.  "Yes, Father."

_What was that flinch for,_ Bruce asked himself.  _Did I say something wrong?_   "Go on, son.  Have some fun, but don't get carried away."

Damian gave his small, true smile before nodding and turning away from his father.  It looked like both Dick and Robin had been holding their breath for the duration of his talk with Bruce.  Damian walked over and took the outstretched hand of his girlfriend.  Looking at his brothers, Damian said, "Come on, Robin.  We don't have to spend any extra time around these three."

Tim just smiled, Jason's jaw dropped, and Dick stuck his tongue out at the pair as they followed Alfred out of the school building, to the waiting car.

Damian helped Robin into the back, then stood before Alfred.  The servant asked, "Something the matter, young sir?"

Damian closed the distance between the two of them.  "You are determined not to give up on me, aren't you?"

It wasn't really a question, and the butler smiled as Damian crossed the remaining distance and wrapped his arms around Alfred's waist.  "Master Damian, I believe you are aware that I never throw out anything of value.  No matter how tarnished something is, it can always be polished up and made better again."

"Thank you, Pennyworth," Damian whispered as he let the man go and climbed into the back of the car.

_Meanwhile..._

Bruce and his elder sons migrated back to the table by the band as the music students took a break.

Jason let out a relieved breath, "Thank god.  I'm sorry, but those kids are terrible.  I was going to make another donation just to get them to stop playing."

Dick smirked at his brother, " _Another_ donation?  That would imply that you had already made a donation."

Jason rolled his eyes.  "I gave at the office," he grumbled.

" _Sure_ you did," Dick said with a patronizing smile.

Tim turned to Bruce nervously and asked, "So, is it over, Bruce?  Can we stop living in a house of fear?"

_I didn't know that my argument with Damian had affected everyone in the house,_ Bruce thought to himself as he nodded.  "Yeah, Tim.  I think it is."

Jason leaned forward.  "So, appeasement is the new strategy for dealing with Damian, then?  Give him what he wants and hope he goes away?  I know I was never the best student, but it seems to me that that has been tried unsuccessfully in history somewhere."

Bruce's eyes narrowed.  "I don't exactly like the comparison of your brother with a tyrant."

Dick reached out and slapped Jason's shoulder.  "I'll explain what happened tonight to you later, Jason."

"What now," Tim asked.  "We've done what we needed to do here tonight.  How much of a head start are we going to give the lovebirds?"

Bruce checked his watch before standing and saying, "A couple hours.  I think it's time we got out of here.  Late dinner, my treat."

_Later, but not too much later..._

Damian offered his hand as they stepped out of the car in front of Stately Wayne Manor.  Robin gave a coy smile as she took his hand and exited the vehicle.  Damian followed Alfred to the rear of the car and started to reach for Robin's bags.

Alfred immediately spoke up, "Please, Master Damian.  This is my job, after all."

"It's _my_ girlfriend, Pennyworth."

Alfred smirked, "I wasn't planning on hiding her away from you, young sir.  She is to be assigned the guest room next to your bedroom.  That took quite a bit of convincing, to get your father to allow that, by the way."

Damian matched the smirk, "I'm headed that way, Pennyworth.  I can easily..."

Damian trailed off, and Alfred was concerned at the loss of color in the boy's face.  "Master Damian?  Are you alright?"

Damian pointed over Alfred's shoulder.  The butler turned to find the Bat Signal shining brightly over the city.  "Oh, dear," the butler agreed.

Bruce's car came tearing up the driveway, gravel spitting in all directions as the car slid to a stop.  The Bat family boiled out of the vehicle to hear Bruce say, "So much for a nice dinner out.  What are you doing out here, Damian?"

Damian shrugged in a defeated manner, "We just got here a minute or two ahead of you.  I...I guess I'll get changed."

Five sets of eyes were glaring at Bruce as they heard Damian's statement and watched him trudge up to the house.  The glares were unnecessary, as Bruce quickly followed his son and caught him on the front porch.  "Where do you think you're going?"

Damian sighed, "To get changed."

Bruce shook his head, "Out of your suit, yes.  Into your other suit, no.  You're still on hosting duty, and your guest seems to be a little sad that you would even consider leaving her side tonight."

Damian looked back at Robin, who really looked like she was holding back tears.  Damian looked up at Bruce again and asked, "Won't you need me out there tonight?"

"I think your brothers and I can handle whatever this is without you."

Damian gave a relieved smile as Robin wrapped her arm in his.  Bruce started to walk into the house when Damian said softly, "Be careful, Father."

Bruce stopped short and turned back to his son, his eyes wide in surprise.  "Be careful?  I haven't heard that one in a while."

Damian took a deep breath, "I may not have liked you this last month, but I never stopped loving you."

Bruce gave a warm smile and said, "We'll be careful," before walking into the house.  The elder sidekicks followed Bruce into the house, each patting Damian's shoulder as they passed.

Left alone on the front porch, Robin sighed with a smile as she leaned her head to the side, resting it against Damian's.  "Did you want to go and see them off?"

Damian shook his head gently, making sure not to dislodge her head from his own.  "No.  That would mean leaving you.  For as much as you know who we are, I don't think that knowledge extends to access to the Batcave."

"Well, what did you want to do?"

Damian took a deep breath before saying, "I've got a couple ideas.  Let me just grab your..."

Damian trailed off as he looked around for Robin's suitcases.  "Grab my what," Robin asked.  "Shouldn't we be inside before you start grabbing anything?"

"Well played, Pennyworth," Damian said softly, "I was going to take your suitcases up to your room, but it seems Pennyworth beat me to it.  Since that is one less thing I have to do, we can move on to something else I had been hoping to do tonight."

Robin smiled demurely, "Is it what I think it is?"

_Three Minutes Later..._

"It's not what I thought it was," Robin said as Damian led her into the ballroom.  "What did you have in mind, Damian?"

Damian walked over to the piano, pulling his phone out of his pocket.  As he set the device on the piano, music started playing from the small speaker.  He turned to Robin and held out both of his hands.  "What did you think I had in mind?  Never mind, don't answer that.  I know what you thought I had in mind, and you're right, I do.  However, I made a promise, both to you and Father.  I know our bodies are ready, but I'm just not sure about my mind yet.  I really just want to share a dance or two with you right now."

Robin smiled as she took his hands, "That may be the most mature thing I've ever heard you say."  They began swaying to the music as Robin continued, "I have to tell you something, though.  I made the same promise, to you and to both of our parents.  In fact, your father wouldn't send the plane ticket until I promised him that you and I wouldn't make love while I'm here."

"You agreed to that?"

"I did, because being here with you is more important than pushing limits."

Damian smiled up at her for several minutes, getting lost in her eyes.  "You're right.  This is more important."

An hour later, silence reigned in the ballroom as the playlist Damian had selected ended.  Neither dancer noticed that they were moving to their own rhythm, with as caught up in each other as they were.  Alfred stared for a minute, idly wondering how long the youths would continue to dance if left alone.  In the end, Alfred decided not to find out, as he cleared his throat.  Neither of the teens acknowledged his presence, so Alfred coughed again, a little louder this time.

Not looking over, Damian said, "I saw you when you came in, Pennyworth.  I'm not trying to ignore you, I just don't want to look away from Robin."

Alfred smiled at the response, "And here I thought you were going to try to break the rules.  This is hardly an activity that your Father would frown upon.  He might not believe that this is something you would choose to do tonight, but he will not be angry."

Damian gave a slight grimace, "That's kind of the point, Pennyworth.  Hasn't there been enough fighting in this house lately?"

Alfred nodded sagely, "I must say that there has.  Would you like me to put on some music?"

Damian raised an eyebrow at Robin, who shook her head, "No, thank you, Mr. Pennyworth.  These really aren't the best shoes for dancing.  I think I'd like to take a rest for a bit."

Alfred inclined his head, "Very well, Miss Robin.  I took the liberty of preparing a snack for you both, if you are hungry."

Damian and Robin shrugged, "I think we would like to change into something more comfortable first, Pennyworth."

Alfred nodded, "Very well.  I believe you can handle showing Miss Robin to her guest room without a chaperone."

Damian smirked as he and Robin headed for the door.  "I thought that is exactly what Father asked you to do tonight?"

Alfred winked as the youths passed him by, "It is a big house, young sir, and I am not as spry as I used to be."

The pair were halfway up the stairs before Robin whispered in Damian's ear, "What did he mean by that last comment?"

Damian winked at his girlfriend, "He meant that if we were to choose to break the promise we made to our fathers, he would look the other way.  He isn't planning on checking on us until Father gets back."

Robin looked like she was seriously considering what she heard before she said, "Would you be disappointed if I said that his offer of a snack sounded better than that right now?  I haven't eaten since Alaska, this morning."

Damian stopped just outside of the room next to his own.  He gently backed Robin up against the wall and kissed her fiercely for just short of a minute.  Robin was flushed and panting when Damian pulled back and whispered, "I'm pretty hungry, too."

Robin looked at Damian in shock and nodded numbly.  Damian took her hand and led her into the guest room.  "This is your room.  Mine is right next door, if you're interested.  Father said, as long as we keep the door open, we can be alone in the bedrooms.  Wait, did you wear an evening gown on a cross-country flight?  I don't know why that just occurred to me."

Robin had regained her composure by this time.  "Yeah.  I knew I was meeting you at the fundraiser when I got here.  I wouldn't have had time to change."

Damian nodded, "Well, you have time now."

Robin looked warily at Damian as she stepped out of her shoes, "You said you were hungry, just what exactly are you hungry for?"

"You, of course," Damian said with a wolfish grin, "but, also, whatever Pennyworth fixed.  I'm always hungry for you, so I guess that doesn't count."

Robin turned around and glanced at Damian over her shoulder.  "Can you unzip me?"

There was a slight shake in Damian's hand as he slowly lowered the zipper on the back of the dress, gasping lightly as more bare skin was revealed.

"Weren't you going to get changed, too," Robin asked.

"I can wait," Damian said, still staring at Robin's back.

"Damian!"

"You might need more help," he said plaintively, "I like helping people."

"I'll see you in a couple minutes," she said, her tone echoing with finality.

Damian sighed as he walked slowly out of the room.  Looking across the hall, he could hear a subconscious round of laughter that reminded him of Jason's laugh.  Even knowing the reaction was all in his head didn't stop Damian from muttering, "Shut up, Todd."

_Much Later That Night..._

Alfred met the elder residents of the Manor at the grandfather clock that hid the entrance to the cave.  None of them looked any worse for wear, but all were thoroughly exhausted.

Dick was talking as the clock swung open.  "Three bank robberies in one night.  Why do all the coordinated jobs have to happen when we're busy with other stuff?"

"That's just how it works, Chum," Bruce said tiredly.  He saw his butler and asked, "Any problems here tonight, Alfred?"

Alfred shook his head, "No, sir, they have been quite well-behaved.  There wasn't even a hint of rule breaking tonight."

"That just means he's lulling you into a false sense of security," Jason stated with a yawn.

Bruce was about to get on Jason's case for always trying to see the worst in any situation, but experience stayed his tongue.  "Perhaps," Bruce said warily, "What did they do tonight?"

"They spoke on the porch for a few minutes after you left, while I took the young lady's bags to the guest room.  The next time I saw them, they were dancing in the ballroom."

Bruce's eyes widened a bit, "Really?  I wouldn't have guessed that in a million years."

Alfred smiled, knowing that was to be Bruce's reaction.  "After that, I fixed them something to eat, and they went up to bed.  Miss Robin seemed quite exhausted by the day's travels."

Bruce nodded, "I don't doubt it; that's a long flight.  How long ago did they go to bed?"

Alfred had to think for a minute, "Half an hour, or so."

"Okay, I guess I should make sure he's following the rules."

Dick grabbed Jason's arm as he moved to follow Bruce.  "Take your time, Bruce.  We'll grab a snack before bed."

Jason tried to shake Dick's hand off his arm, but Dick wouldn't let go.  "Come on, Golden Boy, let go.  Aren't you the least bit interested in seeing how badly he broke the rules?"

Tim started helping Dick push Jason towards the kitchen.  "This is only their first night together.  Damian is smart enough to wait until tomorrow night to try to do something stupid."

Bruce stopped at the door and said, "Timothy, please don't refer to this as their first night together."

Tim winced, "Sorry, Bruce.  It just slipped out."

_Upstairs..._

Bruce entered the residence wing of the house a bit hesitantly, but quickly gave a small sigh of relief.  _It's quiet.  I hope that's a good sign.  I don't really know what I expected, but this is a good start so far.  Both of their doors are open...I don't know what that means yet, though.  Wait...what is that?_

Bruce approached the rooms and spotted a large lump set up against the wall, in-between Damian's and Robin's rooms.  Damian and Robin sat against the wall in the hallway, wrapped up in a blanket, snoring lightly.  Bruce smiled at the sight, before his look flattened as he thought of what sort of activities could have preceded this hallway slumber, which Alfred obviously hadn't been aware of.

Damian flinched and jumped as Bruce kicked the boy, far more gently than his mind wanted him to, yet enough to wake him up.  "Care to explain this, Damian?"

Damian looked up angrily and shushed his father.  "Quiet, Father.  You're going to wake her up."

"Explain yourself," Bruce said in a hissed whisper.

Damian sighed and threw the blanket off of himself.  Bruce was surprised to see that Robin was wrapped in another blanket, which had been covered by the end of Damian's blanket.  Damian stretched as he rose and walked into his room.  "What do I have to explain?  We haven't broken any of your rules."

"What did you two do after you said goodnight to Alfred?"

Damian sighed, "Robin wasn't too sure about your rules regarding the bedrooms, and we wanted to talk for a while, so we sat in the hall.  I guess we fell asleep."

Bruce gave a relieved breath, "Well, I guess that isn't breaking any of the rules.  You told her that I said you could be in the bedrooms as long as you kept the door open, right?"

Damian nodded, "I did, but you didn't allow that the last time we were together, so she wanted to hear that from you first."

Bruce matched Damian's nod, "I'll go over the rules with her in the morning.  Is there anything else?"

Damian thought for a second, "I don't think so.  I will say this, though.  You can trust the two of us together.  Neither of us want to do anything that will force you to break us apart.  And, I think you've seen enough in the past to know that when Robin and I sleep together, we actually _sleep_."

"I have noticed that," Bruce said introspectively, "Anything else before it's bedtime?"

"Just this." Damian walked forward and hugged Bruce tightly.  "Thank you, Father," he said softly.

Bruce returned the hug just as tightly, marveling at the difference just a couple hours had made.  The Dynamic Duo walked back into the hall, where Robin was still sound asleep.

"I guess we should get her to bed, Father," Damian whispered.

"Did you want to take care of that, son?"

Damian thought for a second, "I can carry her to bed, but I don't think I can pick her up without waking her."

Bruce nodded before reaching down and unwrapping the blanket from the girl.  He effortlessly lifted her and whispered, "Grab the blankets, Damian."

Damian did as he was told, before his jaw dropped.  Bruce was carrying Robin into Damian's room.  The boy stood numbly at the door as his father gently deposited the girl in his bed and pulled the comforter up to her shoulders.  Damian couldn't believe what was happening as he questioned, "Father?"

Bruce gave a small smile as he took hold of the shoulder of Damian's pajama shirt with two fingers and lifted it slightly, "Remember the rules.  Clothes on, door open.  Prove to me that you two actually sleep.  Remember, earning this trust is a process.  Don't let me down."

"I...I'll do my best."

"Good night, son.  Sleep well."

Damian nodded, heading for the bed with a smile plastered on his face.  "I think I will.  Thank you, Father."

_The Next Morning..._

Robin awoke feeling warm and refreshed.  She usually had trouble sleeping in new places, and was surprised that she felt so well-rested.

_This mattress is really comfortable.  I wonder what kind it is.  Maybe I can get dad to get me one.  I think I'll just roll over and go back to sleep...what is that?_

Robin felt something warm and hard under her left hand.  She patted it for a second before realizing what it had a good chance of being.  _Oh, no._

Robin opened her eyes, which quickly widened comically as she found herself looking at the side of Damian's face, lying on the same pillow, just a few inches from her own face.  She realized that her hand had slipped under Damian's shirt and was resting on his stomach.  The one she loved was still asleep, and disaster scenarios started running through her mind.

Robin sat up quickly, her eyes still wide.  "Oh my god.  Oh my god.  What am I doing in here?  How did I even get here?  What did we do last night?"

Damian, awoken by the girl's panic, sat up and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.  Kissing the back of her neck, he said softly, "Good morning.  How did you sleep?"

Still panicked, Robin spun quickly in Damian's grip, dislodging his arms from her shoulders.  He leaned back as he saw the concerned look on her face.  "What am I doing in bed with you," she demanded, "What did we do last night?"

"What are you talking about," Damian asked, confused.

Robin looked down at herself and patted her clothes, making sure everything was still in the same place as she remembered.  "We're here.  We're in your bed.  How did we get here?  The last thing I remember was us in the hall."

"Robin, calm down..."

Robin interrupted him and hissed, "Did you have sex with me while I was asleep?"

Damian's look changed instantly, from confused to stony.  He was trying everything he knew not to get mad at her, but that comment hurt.  "Why would you even ask that?"

Robin noticed the way Damian's tone changed in the last several seconds.  "Damian, I..."

"No," he cut her off, "That was not necessary.  How could you even think I would do something like that to you?  I love you too much to even consider something like that.  Yes, I kissed you when you were asleep.  I stroked your cheek, but that was it."

"Let me explain, Damian," Robin said desperately.

"What is there to explain?  You wake up next to me, and your first thought is that I did things to you in your sleep?  Without your permission?  How could you possible think I would rape you?"

Robin gasped, realizing that is exactly what her question could be taken as.  Damian moved to sit on the other side of the bed, with his back to Robin.

"Damian, I'm so sorry.  I never meant to imply something like that.  I...are we fighting?  On our anniversary?"

Damian sighed, "I don't want to, but it looks that way.  Why would you ever think that about me?"

Robin stared at Damian's back, "I _don't_ think that about you.  I was just confused."

"If you don't think it, then why did you say it?  I've _been_ raped, remember?  I would sooner slit my own throat than do that to you.  It's a terrible thing, and to even have that thought on your mind...it makes me sick to my stomach."

The bed shook as Robin crawled across it to sit next to Damian.  She placed a hand on his shoulder, but he flinched away, saying, "Please, don't."

Robin sniffled, "Damian, I want to make this right.  I'm sorry I said that.  I'm sorry I panicked when I woke up."

Damian sighed, trying everything he knew to calm himself down, before he did something he would regret.  "Look, you fell asleep in the hall.  Father carried you in here.  I didn't ask him to, he just did it.  I gave you a good night kiss and went to sleep.  That's all that happened."

"I want to make this right.  I'm sorry," Robin repeated.

Damian took a deep breath, "I want us to get past this, too, but I'm going to need a minute.  I accept your apology.  It just hurts that you could even suggest I would do something like that to you.  I love you, and rape has no place in any relationship...especially ours."

Robin reached out to Damian again, but he stood and headed for the door of his bedroom.  "I'm still committed to us, but I need to think for a bit.  I'll see you at breakfast."

_Downstairs..._

Damian minced his way into the dining room before slumping into a chair next to Bruce.  Bruce glanced at the boy, who looked like he had aged several years overnight.  "Didn't get much sleep, son?"  Bruce's eyes widened as he thought about what that could possibly mean.  _I promised him almost a year ago that I wouldn't get mad if this happened.  What did I expect, really?  I all but gave him a green light._   "It's okay, Damian.  I understand if you couldn't stop yourself from breaking the rules.  I know that you're a growing boy, who isn't always in control of your body."

Damian shook his head, "We didn't do anything like that.  We slept, like I promised.  The problem came when we woke up."

Damian explained the exchange he had just completed before dropping his head to the table.  Bruce reached over and stroked his son's hair.  "You know she didn't mean it the way it came out, son."

"I know," Damian's muffled voice rose from the table top.  "I overreacted again.  Now, I'm afraid I hurt her.  Today is the last day I should be doing that."

Bruce watched as Robin slipped into the dining room.  She motioned for Bruce not to let on that she was there.  "Yeah, you did overreact, but I bet she's willing to work it out with you."

"Do you think so, Father?  How do I explain to her that my mind doesn't work normally?  That the last thing I ever want to do is hurt her?  That I love her more than anything I've ever loved in my life?"

Robin spoke up from several feet away, purposely staying out of reach.  She knew all too well how much Damian hated surprises.  "I think you just did it, without having to worry about how."

Damian's head shot up from the table, shock on his face.  He rose quickly and covered the distance between them.  "Robin," he said softly, looking up into her eyes, "I'm so sorry for this morning."

"So am I.  I know you would never hurt me."

"Can we just start over?"

Robin gave a soft smile and a nod, "Yeah, I think we can."

Damian engulfed the taller girl in a hug while Bruce tried to keep a tear from his eye, "Happy anniversary, Robin."

"Happy anniversary, Damian."

_After Breakfast..._

"Father, I need permission to break one of your rules."

"Explain," Bruce said, confused.

Damian sighed, "Robin and I need to have what will be a very long, involved talk."

Bruce thought for a second, "I already gave you permission for the two of you to be alone in your bedrooms."

Damian turned to Robin and said, "I told you he said that."  He turned back to Bruce after seeing a smile blossom on Robin's face, "I know, but for this conversation, a certain level of privacy is needed.  More than can be afforded to us with the door open.  I don't want to be interrupted, Father."

The look on Bruce's face matched the confusion on Robin's face.  Bruce was skeptical as to Damian's true intention with this request, but he was determined to hear him out.  "Just what sort of conversation are you looking to have?"

"I'd like to know that myself," Robin said, nodding.

Damian turned to Robin and took her hand gently.  He took a deep breath before saying, "Robin, I hate to admit this...I _really_ hate to admit this, but I've been lying to you since the day we met."

Robin gasped as Damian continued, "I don't want to lie to you anymore.  I love you too much to keep secrets from you."

Bruce knew what Damian was alluding to, and was suddenly nervous for his son.  "Think about this, Damian.  Some secrets are better left unshared."

Damian looked down at his hand, holding Robin's tightly, but not painfully.  "I've been thinking about this for a year.  I've already started, Father.  There is no way Robin would ever trust me again if I tell her that I've been lying to her, and not tell her the truth.  If we are going to have any sort of future together, she has to know.  Robin, I trust you too much to keep things from you.  I promised you complete honesty, but I haven't kept that promise.  Father, I'd like permission to take her to my Nest."

Robin did a double take at the name, and despite the seriousness of Damian's tone, she had a hard time not laughing at the title.  Bruce shook his head, "No.  Not this time, son.  You can show it to her later, but not for what you have planned today.  What's wrong with your room?"

Damian could hear his brothers coming down the stairs.  He knew Bruce could hear them as well, so he said, "Them.  This isn't the kind of thing I want a big audience for."

Bruce thought for a second, "Okay.  One time only, you two can use my study, and close the door.  I'll run interference with your brothers, but I hope you know what you're doing."

Damian caught the building nerves on Robin's face as he said, "So do I."  The couple rose and left the room as the older boys entered.

Damian made sure they left through a different door than the one his brothers were going to enter through.  Robin took Damian's hand and said, "Damian, I'm a little nervous about whatever you're planning."

Damian sighed deeply, "I'm nervous, too.  It's time that you knew everything, though.  Robin, I want to tell you about myself.  I want to tell you about how I really grew up, before I came to live with Father.  Maybe...maybe hearing it will help you to understand why I do the things I do, and why I choose to do things a certain way."

Robin looked confused, "You told me that you lived with your mother, who abused you, and ran a business of some kind with your grandfather."

Damian closed his eyes as he closed the door to Bruce's study, "Yes, I told you that, but I never told you what sort of business it was, or the role I played in it."

Damian led her to the couch and said, "We should sit down.  This is a long story."

_Three Hours Later..._

Robin's tears had dried long before the story was over.  Most of the time, she just sat there, slack-jawed at what she was hearing.  The level of pain in Damian's voice told her that he wasn't making up a single word of the tale.

When he had caught her up to present day in his life story, the pair just sat, staring into the distance.  Robin was trying her best to come to terms with what she had heard.  Damian was confused by the new feeling of lightness he had after baring his soul to another, for the first time in his life.

"Sorry to dump all of that on you," Damian said guiltily.

Robin shook her head and leaned over to kiss Damian on the cheek.  "Don't be.  I think I would have exploded if I was carrying all that around inside me.  Are you okay?"

A small smile formed on Damian's face, "Actually, I haven't felt this good in a long time...maybe ever.  Um...are _we_ okay?"

Robin hated the nervous tone in Damian's voice.  "Of course we are.  So you killed someone..."

"Over a hundred someones," Damian interrupted.

Robin tried to hide her wince at the large number, and only barely succeeded.  "Okay, over a hundred.  If you weren't being manipulated by your grandfather and mother, you wouldn't have even considered doing that.  It's not your fault."

Damian shook his head, looking away from Robin.  "They only put the knife in my hands.  I'm the one who actually used it.  It might not be all my fault, but there is plenty of blame in there for me."

Robin's soft hand on Damian's cheek turned his face to look at hers again.  "It's going to take some time for me to adjust to all of this, but you're the same person you were this morning; the same person I fell in love with a year ago, and continue to love more every day.  If anything, I think I understand you better now.  Everything seems to make more sense."

Damian's jaw dropped in wonder.  He whispered, "How can you just... _accept_ everything I've done?"

Robin's tone matched Damian's, "Because you only told me the bad today.  I've spent a year seeing the good.  I can also see the struggle you have every day to balance both sides of yourself.  You're trying, and I think that's all any of us can do.  You just have to try a little harder than most people.  You haven't given up, and that means that I can't, and won't, give up on you."

"But..."

Robin cut off his next protest, "I accepted you long ago.  That meant accepting _all_ of you.  I always knew there was more to you than you were letting on.  I'm glad that you are able to trust me this much, to share all this with me.  Say, how did your family take it, when you told them?"

Damian looked Robin in the eye and said seriously, "I never did.  They know the basics of my life, but I've never gone into this much detail.  You are the only person in the world who knows this whole story."

Robin gasped in awe, that she would have earned that level of trust from her mysterious boyfriend.

"Correction, you are one of two people who know that story."  Robin looked confused, until Damian called out, "You can come in, Pennyworth."

Robin was surprised when the door opened and the butler entered, looking contrite.  "My deepest apologies for eavesdropping on such a private moment, Master Damian."

To everyone's surprise, Damian wasn't angry at the man.  "That's okay, Pennyworth.  In a way, I'm glad you know.  About halfway through, I started to wonder why I haven't told all this to anyone before."

Alfred approached and laid a hand on Damian's shoulder.  "From everything I've seen, and everything you said, your mother eliminated your ability to trust.  It is only recently that you have re-developed that trait."

Damian nodded, "That's true.  Please, don't tell the others."

Alfred looked shocked, "Of course not, young sir.  That is the story of your life, and I could not do it justice.  You should be the only one to tell it, but in your own time.  I can guarantee, though, that the reaction of the rest of the family will match that of Miss Robin."

"Thank you, Pennyworth."

Damian kissed Robin's cheek before standing suddenly.  Robin looked at him worriedly, "Where are you going?  You're not going to tell them _now,_ are you?"

Damian gave a small smile, "I'm going to the bathroom.  We've been sitting here for a long time."

Robin sat for half a minute before she realized that Alfred was still in the room.  "Some story, huh, Mr. Pennyworth?"

"Quite.  Are you going to be okay, Miss Robin?"

"It's a lot to take in," Robin said staring into the distance.  She looked up at Alfred warily and asked, "Are you asking for my sake, or for his?"

Alfred smiled.  _I knew Master Damian was bound to choose a girl who is just as sharp as he is._   "Both, actually."

"I'm not going to break up with him, just because of this, if that is what you're asking.  He was honest with me, and I think that counts for more than what he did in the past.  I'm just going to need to process all of this.  It definitely isn't something I can tell my parents.  This isn't exactly what I thought we would be doing on our anniversary."

Alfred looked introspective, "Actually, I think this is quite appropriate for your anniversary."

"What do you mean," Robin asked.

Alfred grinned, "On any other anniversary, you might expect flowers, or candy, or jewelry.  Today, Master Damian has chosen to give you something far more important.  He has given you himself.  It's up to you on what you will do with that gift."

Robin smiled at the explanation.  "It's probably the best gift he's ever given me."

Alfred smiled, knowing his youngest charge had chosen well.  "Can I get you anything, Miss Robin?"

"How about some ice water?  I'm sure Damian and I could both use it."

Following Damian's return to the study, the pair moved to the front sitting room.  Damian wrapped them up in a thick blanket, and they moved a couch to sit in front of the bay window to watch the rain.  The pair remained comfortably silent for the majority of the afternoon.  Robin was thinking about how nice it felt to be held in Damian's arms.  Damian couldn't stop thinking how lucky he was to have someone who could hear what he had told her that morning and not run for the hills.  The only annoyance that Damian could find was the bi-hourly brother, coming to stand in the hall and stare at the couple.  Damian allowed it because they never entered the sitting room.

Bruce and Dick both went to check on the youths around five o'clock, only to find the sitting room empty.  They walked up to the couch, to make sure the kids weren't just lying down on the sofa.  They weren't, and the original Dynamic Duo split up to look for them.  Bruce told Dick to check the downstairs while he looked upstairs.

Several minutes later, Bruce was wishing he had checked the downstairs.  He wouldn't have been as mad that way.  Upon arriving on the second floor, the first thing Bruce noticed was that both Damian's and Robin's bedroom doors were closed.  Since Damian's room was closest in the hallway, Bruce stalked up to that one with a growl and flung the door open.  His initial call for explanation died in his throat when no one was to be seen in the room.  His anger spiked again when he heard the shower cut off behind the closed bathroom door.  Marching over, Bruce all but knocked the door off of its hinges as he burst into the bathroom.

Damian jumped in surprise, and almost slipped on the wet tile floor, as Bruce demanded loudly, "Explain this!"

"Explain what," Damian asked, confused.

"Why are these doors closed?  I told you they had to remain open at all times."

Damian looked at Bruce like he was growing a second head, "While I'm in the shower?"

Damian continued to rub a towel over his dripping hair as Bruce asked, "Where is she?"

"She's not..."

Damian trailed off as Robin's voice entered the conversation, from behind Bruce.  "Hey, Damian.  I heard your door open.  Are you done...OH!"

Bruce looked behind him to see Robin standing in the doorway leading in from the hall, blushing furiously as she stared at her naked boyfriend.  Bruce looked back to see Damian continue to towel himself off, smiling at the girl but making no effort to cover himself.  Bruce quickly shut the bathroom door, noticing that Robin seemed to be transfixed, staring at the wooden portal.

" _Thank_ you, Robin.  Damian will be out in a couple minutes.  You can close the door on your way out."

It took a minute before Robin was able to leave, and she nearly collided with the door on the way out.  Once the hallway door was closed, Bruce opened the bathroom door again.  Damian stood there, smirking, with the towel wrapped around his waist.  " _Now_ do you believe that she didn't take a shower with me?"

Bruce just shook his head as Damian walked to his closet to get dressed.  "What just happened," Bruce asked, dumbfounded.

Damian's voice floated out of the closet.  "Robin told her parents that she would call and check in with them once a day.  I decided to take a shower while she was doing that."

"And that's _all_ that happened?"

Damian, fully clothed again, walked back into his bedroom with a smile on his face.  "Until you facilitated the peep show, yes.  You might have just become her favorite person in the Manor, Father."

Bruce scowled, "Just make sure you, or she, don't try to reciprocate the gesture."

Bruce turned for the door before Damian said, "I don't see the big deal, Father.  It's not like she hasn't touched everything she just saw.  She just hadn't seen it all before."

Bruce pivoted quickly, "You _swore_ to me that you two haven't had sex."

"We haven't," Damian said, his tone matching Bruce's, "We haven't even taken our clothes all the way off.  That doesn't mean that our hands have remained above cloth."

Bruce pointed dangerously at his son, "You're pushing it, Damian.  You better watch yourself.  I think it would be for the best if Robin slept in her own bed tonight."

Damian took a deep breath, knowing he was flirting with the line.  He knew that crossing it, any farther than he already had, would result in Robin's premature departure, and an indefinite period apart.  He nodded obediently, "As you wish, Father."

Robin wasn't happy about the new sleeping arrangements when Damian told her about them, but she didn't complain.  She had been able to hear the raised voices between father and son, and didn't want to be the cause of another fight between them.  Damian and Robin took it easy for the next couple of days, not giving Bruce anything to complain about in their behavior.

Apparently, their efforts were appreciated, because on Robin's final night in Gotham for this trip, Bruce allowed her back in Damian's room, and his bed, under the condition that Bruce would be checking on them in the night.  Damian and Robin slept soundly, and by three-thirty, Bruce had given up on catching them at anything, and had fallen asleep.

Robin's flight departed from Gotham International Airport just after noon on Wednesday.  Bruce didn't dare try to keep Damian from seeing her off at the airport.  Not only did he not want to face the glares of his family, but he genuinely liked Robin, and her influence on Damian.  The prospect of another round of fighting with his son also helped his decision-making process.  No one in the house wanted to go through that again.

Damian ambled into Bruce's study two hours after returning from the airport.  His hands were shoved in the pockets of his pants, and he sighed sadly as he flopped into a chair on the opposite side of Bruce's desk.

"Are you okay, son?"

Another sigh, "I guess so, Father.  I just miss her."

Bruce nodded compassionately.  "I understand, Damian.  Why don't you get back to work on your school packets?  Take your mind off your troubles?"

"Maybe later.  I was actually hoping to talk to you, Father."

Bruce put down the work report he had been reading, Damian capturing his full attention.  "What did you want to talk about?"

Bruce could have sworn that Damian blushed slightly as he said, "Well...it's kind of embarrassing."

"Embarrassing, you say?"

Damian nodded, looking down at his lap.  "I'm not usually one to admit a lack of knowledge in anything, but I found a subject this morning where my fund of knowledge is...inadequate."  Damian took a deep breath, wincing at what he was going to say next, "Do you remember when Robin and I started dating, and I told you that discussing...sex...was unnecessary?"

Bruce matched the wince as he said slowly, "Yeah, I remember."

Damian looked supremely uncomfortable as he said, "I was mistaken.  My knowledge of the topic is lacking, especially since I have someone who makes me think about the topic often."

Bruce took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  He got up and closed the door to the study before sitting in the chair next to Damian's.  Bruce placed a hand on Damian's forearm and said, "It sounds like there is a lot more to this request than a simple lack of information.  What happened, son?"

Damian glanced up guiltily, "You're going to be mad."

Bruce took another calming breath, "This is an important topic, Damian.  This is probably a talk we should have had years ago.  No matter the outcome of whatever happened, you won't be in trouble."

Damian thought for a second, wondering exactly where to begin.  "I told you in the past that I was trained in the art of seduction and love while with the League."

"I remember," Bruce said darkly.

Damian still didn't want to look up at Bruce as he continued.  "I was led to believe that my training was all-encompassing, and that there was nothing more to the process.  Obviously, I was lied to.  Big surprise.  I was trained to get close to a person in any way possible, to make it easier to kill them.  That is, obviously, the last thing I want to do to Robin."

"Obviously," Bruce agreed.

Damian took a deep breath, "This morning, knowing it was our last day together for a while, we went a little farther than we've allowed ourselves to go before."

_Don't get mad, Bruce.  Don't blow up at him.  He's reaching out; reach back.  He will admit to everything he did as long as you don't make assumptions and scream at him, no matter how disappointed in him you are right now._   Bruce had to keep repeating to himself to calm down, and it seemed to work.  "Just how far are we talking here, Damian," Bruce asked suspiciously.

Damian glanced up again, his cheeks red.  He heard the tone of Bruce's voice and knew he was close to not seeing Robin again for a very, very long time.  "Probably farther than you would want us to, but not far enough to be considered breaking your 'no sex' rule.  We went as far as I knew how.  I...I didn't know there was more to it than what I knew.  Robin...Robin showed me that I was wrong."

Bruce took another deep breath, trying desperately to remain calm.  "Damian, these rules were put in place for a reason.  I'm glad you are admitting to breaking the rules, but the 'it's better to seek forgiveness than ask permission' defense doesn't apply when rules have been clearly set and agreed to beforehand."

"I understand that, Father," Damian said in a cowed tone, "And I might have made it sound worse than it actually is."

"I think you better let me decide just how bad it is.  What did you do?  Which rule or rules did you break?"

Damian tried not to cringe as he made his admission.  "The clothing rule.  It just...happened.  It's not like we planned it, or anything."

Bruce sighed, "So, you took both took your clothes off?  After I told you not to?  If you remember, that was rule number two."

Damian looked down again.  He answered softly, "I remember.  But..."

"But what?"

"We didn't take our clothes off, not...not completely.  I wasn't wearing a shirt...and neither was she.  I don't even know how it happened.  One second, we were hugging and kissing.  The next, our shirts were on the floor.  We kept our pants on, though, and nothing below the waist was out that wasn't supposed to be out.  So, we followed that rule."

"Partially."  Bruce thought for a minute.  It really wasn't as bad as he was predicting, but he still wasn't all that happy about the situation.  "Continue, son."

Damian was surprised that he wasn't being yelled at yet.  "Well, like I said, we were kissing, and rolling around on the bed.  Eventually, she rolled on top of me, and started...I don't know how to describe it... _rubbing_ herself on me.  It was...well, it was nice, but kind of weird."

Bruce thought for a second.  _That is not the explanation I was expecting._   "Weird how?"

Damian's blush grew shades darker.  "Believe me, I liked what she was doing, but she seemed to be getting a lot more out of it than I was."

"Were you able to ask her any of these questions?"

Damian nodded, confusion finding a place on his face again.  "I did.  She just said that we hit a good spot."

Bruce nodded, "Okay.  What else happened?"

The boy's confused look grew.  "Well, that's it.  We heard Todd get up to go to work.  We pretended to be asleep until we were sure he was gone, then we got up to start the day."

Bruce smirked, "Sounds to me like you had already started the day, and that it was a pretty good start."

Damian smiled slightly, "I wouldn't mind starting every day like that, but..."

"...But," Bruce prompted when Damian fell silent for several seconds.

Damian looked up, clearly confused, "But, I don't know how."  Bruce was trying not to laugh at his son's frustration.  "Robin obviously knows more than I do about this subject.  She said we hit a good spot, but I don't know how or why.  I don't know what we hit, or how I can do it again.  She obviously enjoyed what we did, and so did I, but she was the only one in the room who knew what that was."

Bruce stared at his son for close to a minute.  _I'm actually having a parenting moment with one of my sons.  These really don't happen often, and this might be the first one with Damian.  This might be the first time he has come to me out of a true need for knowledge...and he's waiting for an answer.  I just wish the subject could be something different for our first 'learning at dad's knee' talk.  I hope this isn't the last time he feels comfortable coming to me, but if he came to me with_ this _topic, I think just about any other should be no problem.  Despite the subject, I like the idea of having Damian need me for more than an allowance._

Bruce took a deep breath, "Son, that is a question with a rather involved answer.  Fortunately, it is all concepts you are familiar with.  Now, I can explain it all to you, and give you both the answers you want, and the answers to all the questions you haven't thought of yet, but you have to promise me something first."

Damian looked a bit perturbed by Bruce's response, but was anxious to have his limited knowledge expanded.  "What promise, Father?"

"This conversation will undoubtedly put several ideas into your head.  All I ask is that you don't go looking for an opportunity to use what we are about to discuss until you are older, and better able to make an informed decision.  Let your mind have a say in what is happening, not just your hormones."

Damian thought for a second before saying, "I'll agree to that on one condition, Father."

Bruce looked suspicious, but asked, "What condition?"

"I'll agree to your promise if you promise me that I won't have to wait another seven months to see Robin again."

Bruce gave his son a bright smile, "That, Damian, is a promise."

 

**A/N:  Finally done.  I hope no one was offended by Damian's and Robin's evolving relationship.  I kept it as clean as I could.**

**This story might be a record for my tales.  This is a combination of three shorter works that all needed something extra before I felt like I could let them escape.  That something extra ended up being a mash-up of all of them together.  The three main plot lines were the school fundraiser, which ended up being almost cut in half to end up here; Tim recruiting Dick's friend to be an informant, which was never long enough to be put out as its own story; and the anniversary, which I think might have been a little too long to end up in a compilation story like this.  That one had about a third cut out of it, to not completely drag down the story.**

**Well, next is Invasion.  That will be posted in short order.  Invasion, Inquiry, and Future Tense have all been completed for several months.  Inquiry is the only one of those that isn't ready to post, since it is still going through final editing, but it will be ready before I finish posting Invasion.  When reading these next stories, remember that I don't follow the comic storylines at all.**

**I would love to hear what you all think.**

**Thanks for playing along.**


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